Meter-panel.



H. KRANTZ.

METER PANEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28. 1909.

961, 142, Patented June 14, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. KRANTZ.

METER PANEL.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY 28.1909. I 961,142, Patented June 14,1910.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mmm'z'r mama-o1; New 2011K, N. 12., assIsNORTo B. imanrz MANUFAOTUEING conduit, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION orNEW YORK.

METER-PANEL.

spectra-non of Letters Patent. Pat nt d J une 14, 1910.

Application filed 11115728, 1909. Serial No. 510,000.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, Honnn'r KRANTZ', a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements 111 Meter-Panels, of whichthe following is a clear,.full, and exact description.

This invention relates to meter panels or panel boards.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, electrically andmechanically efficient article of manufacture of this class in which oneor more different branch circuits may be readily broughtinto circuitwith any desired meter.

In carrying out my invention I provide a panel board havinga base,-generally of insulating material such as marble or slate on which ismounted the usual main supply terminals, switch, bus "and cross bars andfuses. The meter bars are grouped )referably concentrically and prefera1y aid in slots in a c l'inder of insulating material. The meter rs arepreferably located at right angles to and cross the cross bars to w ichthey are to be connected, their ends however are preferably turned tolie parallel with the cross bars for uniformity of connection.

There is provided a movable selective contact device, preferably aspring pressed U shaped piece of phosphor bronze. This is preferablycarried in an insulated ring titting around the grouped meter bars androtatable thereon so that the contact device may be brought into contactwith any one of the grouped meter bars that itis desired to connect witha given branch circuit. The contact device is connected by suitableconnections in all its possible positions with a cross bar of its branchcircuit. These connections preferably take the form of a brake strapconductor encircling the ring contactin with the contact device andsecured ad ustably to the cross bar. By secured adjustably" I mean sopermanently and tightly secured by a screw or equivalent means that thering' cannot be turned, or secured loosely and temporaril so that therinlg and contact device may lie shifted at W1 The scope of theinvention will be particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a meterpanel of this invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section orline 22, Fig. I.Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section of part of the meter bars and contactcar'-' rying rings taken on line33 Fig. 1, some of the parts being inside elevation. Fig. 4

is a cross section on line 44 Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is a cross section on lineFig. 1, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail of the movableselective contact device.

As shown in the drawings: 1 is the base or back plate of the panelboardof insulating material; 2, 3 and 4 are the supply circuit terminals; 5-is the main switch; 6 is the neutral bus bar bifurcated and itsbifurcations 7 and 8 crossing the cross bars to some of which they areconnected by bushings 9. Cross bars for meter connections are indicatedat 10 where they are connected through fuses 11 with the bus bars 12 or13, as the case may be, connected in turn to the terminals 4 and 2respectively.

Cross bars 14 are located along each side of the board 1 for connectionwith fuses 16 and branch circuit connections 18, "and at their other endwith the meter bars as hereinafter described. v Cross bars 15 attachedto the neutral bus bars by bushings9 are connected by fuses 17 withbranch circuit connections 19.

-The cross bars 1 1 for meter connection extend well out toward themiddle of the board and near their end theyare engaged by a screw 20passing through both. ends of a clamping strap 21 to be hereinafterdescribed.

The meter bars 22 are mounted and set into a cylinder 23 of insulatingmaterial, which cylinder may be supported at one end by a bracket 24'secured to the base 1. The

bars 22 have one surface flush with the cylindrical surface and bars andcylinder extend past all branch circuit. cross bars. The meter bars 22,where they emerge from the end of the'cylinder 23 are turned toward oneside orthe other at right angles as will be readil seen in Fig. 5, tobring their terminals a ong the side of the board for ready connectionwith the meters. One such meter is shown at M.

In line with each cross bar for meter and branch circuit connection Iprovide a rotatable ring 24 turning on the cylinder 23 and within thebrake strap 21. The ring carries a contact device 25 of a. piece ofU-shaped metal which may be reinforced by a spring 26; when the bolt 20of the brake strap 21 is loose the ring may be rotated at will to causethe contact device 25 to come into en gagement with any one of the meterbars in the surface of the cylinder 23, but when the bolt 20 istightened the movement of the ring will be prevented and the-contactdevice additionally held down by the tightened strap. This ring andcontact 25 constitutes a movable selective contact device and the strapa connection therefor to the bus bars.

To aid in properly registering the contact 25 with a meter bar the ringmay carry an index reading 1-2-34-'5-6'78 in this instance, and thestrap have a mark 27 thereon to register with an index number on thering and thus provide an indicator means for determining the position ofthe movable selective contact device. To aid in rotating the ringholes28 may be provided for engagementwith a nail, spanner or the like.

It is believed the operation and use of the device will be apparent toan one skilled in the art; hence it will be su cient to say that onturning the lowermost ring to register 1 one side of the lowest lefthand branch circuit will be connected with the meter M through meter bar1 while the other side of the branch circuit will be connected throughneutral bus bar 7 with neutral terminal 3; the meter is on the otherhandconnected with plus terminal 2.

In carrying out this invention, details of construction ma be variedfrom those shown, and yet t e essence of the invention be retained; someparts might be employed without others, and new features thereof mightbe combined with elements old in the art in diverse ways, although theherein described type is regarded as embodying substantial improvementsover such modifications.

i As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of the invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I

It is-furthermore desired to be understood that the language used in thefollowing claims is intended to cover all the generic and specificfeatures of the invention herein described, and all statements of thescope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said tofall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a meter, a panel board, comprising a base, busbars and cross bars, branch. circuits and supply circuits, and groupedmeter bars in proximity to one cross bar of a number of branch circuits,a

selective contact device rotatively but permanently secured to the panelboard, and connections therefor between said cross bar and the selectivecontact device, whereby the contact device may at will be brought intocontact with the meter bar of the grouped meter bars.

2. In combination with a meter, a panel board comprising a base, busbars and cross bars, branch circuits and a supply circuit, and groupedmeter bars in proximity to one cross bar of a number of branch circuits,a movable selective contact device and connections therefor between saidcross bar and the movable selective contact device, and means for atwill bringing suchcontact device into contact with a meter bar of thegrouped meter bars, and clamping mechan: ism adapted to hold theselective device in contact position. I

3. In combination with a meter, a panel board comprising a base, busbars and cross bars, branch circuits and a supply circuit, and groupedmeter bars in proximity to one cross bar of a number of branch circuits,a movable selective contact device and connections therefor between saidcross bar and the movable selective contact device, and means for atwill bringing such contact 'device into contact with a meter bar of thegrouped meter bars, and indicator means for determinin the relativelocation of the selective device with the grouped meter bars.

4. In combination with a meter, a panel board comprising a base, busbars and cross bars, branch circuits and a supply circuit, and groupedmeter bars in proximity to one cross bar of a number of branch circuits,a movable selective contact'device and connections therefor between saidcross bar and themovable selective contact device, and means for at willbringing such contacbdevice into contact with a meter bar of the roupedmeter bars, and clamping mechanism adapted to hold the selective devicein contact position, and indicator means for determining the relativelocation of the selective device with the rouped meter bars.

5. In combination wit a meter, a panel board comprising a base, bus barsand cross bars, branch circuits and a supply circuit, and grouped meterbars in proxim1ty to one cross bar of a number of branch circuits, amovable selective contact device and connections therefor between saidcrossbar and the movable 'selective contact device, and means for atwill bringing such contact device into contact with a meter bar .of thegrouped meter bars, said grouped meter bars and grouped meter bars inroximity to one cross bar of a number of branch cir units, a movableselective contact device and connections therefor between said cross barand the movable selective contact device, and means for at will bringingsuch contact device into contact with a meter bar of the grouped meterbars, and clamping mechanism adapted to holdthe selective device incontact position, said grouped meter bars being concentrically placed,said movable selective contact device being movable concentrically tothe grouped bars; 7 In combination with a meter, a' panel boardcomprising a base, bus bars and cross 'bars, branch circuits and a suppl circuit, and grouped meter bars in proximity to one cross bar of anumber of branch circuits, a 'movable selective contact device andconnections therefor between said cross bar and the movable selectivecontact device, and means for at will bringing such contact device intocontactwith a meter bar of the grouped meter bars, and indicator means25 for determining the relative location of the selective device withthe grouped meter bars,

said grouped meter bars beingconcentrically placed, said movableselective contact device being movable concentrically to the gr-gmpedbars. V

8. In combination'with a meter, a panel board comprising a base, busbars and cross bars, branch circuits and a supply circuit, and groupedmeter bars in proximity to one cross bar-of a number of branch circuits,a movable selective contact device andconnections therefor between saidcross bar and the movable selective contact device, and means for atwill bringing such contact device into contact with a meter bar of thegrouped meter bars, and clamping mechanism adapted to hold the selectivedevice in contact position, and indicator means for determining therelative location of the selective device with the grouped meter bars,said grouped meter bars being concentrically placed, said-movableselective contact device being movable concentrically to the groupedbans,

9; In combination with a meter, a'panel board comprising a base, busbars and cross bars, branch circuits and a supply circuit, and groupedmeter bars in proximity to one cross bar of a number of branch circuits,:1 554 movable selective contact device. and iconnections thereforbetween said cross bar and the movable sele'ctive contact device, andmeans for at will bringing such contact device into contact with a meterbar of the grouped meter bars, said grouped met'er bars beingconcentrically placed, said 'movable selective contact device beingmovable concentrically to the grouped bars, a ring carry ing theselective contact device and insulated fromthe meter bars, a clampingstrap for the ring contacting with said device, the

strap adjustably secured to a cross bar vice into contact with a meterbar of the grouped ;meter bars, said grouped meter bals beingconcentrically placed, said u ovable selective contact device beingmovab e concentrically to the grouped bars, a ring carr ing theselective contact device and insulated from the meter bars, a clampingstrap for the ring contacting with said device, the strap adjustablysecured to a cross bar whereby the ring may be prevented from rotating,and an indicator means for determining the relative position of theselective device with the grouped meter bars.

11. In combination with a meter, a panel board, comprising a-base, busbars and cross bars, branch circuits and supply circuits, and groupedmeter bars iniproximity to one cross bar of a number of branch circuits,a

selective contact device rotatively but permanently secured to the panelboard, and

connections therefor between said cross bar and the selective contactdevice, whereby the contact device may at will be brought intocontactwith the meter bar of the grou ed meter bars, said grouped meter barsbeing at right angles to and crossing all cross barsfor meterconnection.

12. In combination with a meter, a panel board comprising a base, .busbars and cross bars, branch circuits and a supply circuit, and groupedmeter bars, in proximity to one cross bar of a number of branchcircuit-s, a movable selective contact device and connections thereforbetween said cross bar and the movable selective contact device, and

means for at will bringing such contact device into contact with a meterbar of the grouped meter bars, and clamp'ing mechan ism adapted to holdthe selective device in contact osit-ion, said grouped meter bars beingat rlght angles to and crossing a-ll cross bars for meter connection.

13. In combination with a meter, a panel board, comprising a base, busbars and crossbars, branch circuits and supply circuits, and groupedmeter bars in proximity to one cross bar of 'a number of branchcircuits, a

selective contact device rotatively but permanently secured to the panelboard, and

connections vtherefor between-said cross bar and the selective contactdevice, whereby the contact device may at willbe brought into contactwith the meter bar of the grouped meter bars, and indicator means fordetermining the relative location of the selective device with thegrouped meter bars, said grouped meter bars being at right angles to andcrossing all cross bars for meter connection.

14. In combination with a meter, a panel board comprising a base, busbars and cross bars, branch circuits and a supply circuit, and groupedmeter bars, in proximity to one cross bar of a number of branchcircuit-s, a movable selective contact device and connections thereforbetween said cross bar and the movable selective contact device, andmeans for at will bringing such contact device into contact with a meterbar of the grouped meter bars, said grouped meter bars beingconcentrically placed, said movable selective cont-act device beingmovable concentrically to the grouped bars, said grouped meter barsbeing at right angles to and crossing all cross bars for meterconnection. 15. In combination with a meter, a panel t hoard, comprisinga base, bus bars and cross bars, branch circuits and supply circuits,and grouped meter bars in proximity to one cross bar of a number ofbranch circuits, a selective contact device rotatively but permanentlysecured to the panel board, and connections therefor between said crossbar and the selective contact device, whereby the contact device may atwill be brought into contact with the meter bar of the grouped meterbars, said grouped meter bars being cross bar of a number of branchcircuits, a

movable selective contact device and connections therefor between saidcross bar and the movable selective contact device, and means for atwill bringing such contact device into contact with a meter bar of thegrouped meter bars, and clamping mechanism adapted to hold the selectivedevice in contact position, said grouped meter bars being at rightangles to and crossing all cross bars for meter connection,- the end ofeach meter bar being turned to lie at right angles to the length of theboard and parallel to the cross bars.

Signed at Brooklyn, New York this 21st HUBERT KRANTZ.

day of July 1909.

Witnesses:

S. L. WHITOH, E. PINKEBTON.

